Figure skaters prepare for their first Olympics

Figure skaters prepare for their first Olympics

Two determine skaters are getting ready to compete at their first Winter Olympics.

Kristen Spours and Ed Appleby, who prepare at the Link Centre in Swindon in Wiltshire, have each overcome challenges ahead of the Milan-Cortina Games, which formally start on Friday.

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Spours had again surgical procedure shortly after qualifying in March 2025 and was compelled to take 4 months away from the sport, while Appleby injured his ankle during the low season.

Spours said her Olympic story was “less about medals and more about resilience”.

Kristen Spours ruptured a disc in her backbone after qualifying for the Winter Olympics [Getty Images]

Three weeks after qualifying at the World Championships, Spours ruptured a disc in her again and underwent spinal surgical procedure.

“I was done at that point. I thought it was over. I couldn’t fathom a world where I would ever be back,” she said.

The 25-year-old took 4 months away from her sport to get better.

In November, just over six months after her surgical procedure, she received a national title at the British Championships.

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“I think you often don’t stand back and look at how far you’ve come.

“I’ve labored my life to change into an Olympian and that’s my story,” Spours added.

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Ed Appleby, 21, travels from his home in Colchester to train in Swindon.

Despite his ankle injury, he defended his British title in November 2025.

“We know that the onerous work has been executed, we just have to comply with it by means of,” said Appleby.

Appleby said he had dedicated the past few years completely to training and had taken a break from education after his A-levels, but plans to go to university in September.

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He said the ambition for this Olympics is not a medal but a “sense of feat to really be there and absorb the second and just make the most of that experience”.

Ed Appleby will make his Olympic Games debut at Milan-Cortina [Getty Images]

Chris Boyadji, who coaches the pair, said seeing them compete would be a “magical second”.

Boyadji said the injury worries resulted in a “slow start” to the season but that they both “fought very effectively and I’m more than happy that we’re in this place proper now”.

“I’m pleased with what we have been capable of accomplish with the skaters,” he added.

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